NAME
CGI::Application::Plugin::ActionDispatch - Perl extension
SYNOPSIS
# In "WebApp.pm"...
package WebApp;
use base 'CGI::Application';
use CGI::Application::Plugin::ActionDispatch;
sub do_stuff : Path('do/stuff') { ... }
sub do_more_stuff : Regex('^/do/more/stuff\/?$') { ... }
sub do_something_else : Regex('do/something/else/(\w+)/(\d+)$') { ... }
DESCRIPTION
CGI::Application::Plugin::ActionDispatch adds attribute based support
for parsing the PATH_INFO of the incoming request. For those who are
familiar with Catalyst. The interface works very similar.
This plugin is plug and play and shouldn't interrupt the default
behavior of CGI::Application.
CAVEATS
Be aware though, this plugin will not likely work with other modules
that use attributes.
This module should work with mod_perl. It however has not be thoroughly
tested as such. If you have used it with mod_perl please e-mail me with
your experience.
METHODS
action_args()
If using capturing parentheses in a Regex action. The captured
values are accessible using this method.
sub addElement : Regex('add/(\d+)/(\d+)') {
my $self = shift;
my($column, $row) = $self->action_args();
...
}
The Path action will store everything after the matched path into
the action args.
# http://example.com/state/pa/philadelphia
sub find_state_and_city : Path('state/') {
my $self = shift;
my($state, $city) = $self->action_args();
# $state == pa, $city == philadelphia
...
}
ACTIONS
Regex
Regex action is used for regular expression matching against
PATH_INFO. If capturing parentheses are used; the matched parameters
are accesssible using the action_args() method.
Regex('^blah/foo');
The Regex action either matches or it doesn't. There are no secrets
to it.
It is important to note Regex action takes priority. It is assumed
if a Path and Regex action both match. The Regex action will take
priority, which may not always be the outcome of least suprise, for
instance:
# http://example.com/music/the_clash sub clash :
Path('/music/the_clash') {} # This is an exact match, BUT. sub
the_class : Regex('/music/the_clash') {} # This takes priority.
Beware.
Path
The Path action is basically a shortcut for a commonly used Regex
action.
# http://example.com/products/movies/2
sub show_product : Path('products/') {
my $self = shift;
my($category, $id) = $self->action_args();
....
}
Is basically the same thing as.
sub show_product : Regex('^/products/(\w+)/(\d+)') {
my $self = shift;
my($category, $id) = $self->action_args();
...
}
For those that care, the Path('products/') will be converted to the
regular expression "^/products\/?(\/.*)$"; then split('/') is run on
the captured value and stored in action_args().
Runmode
This action will take the method name and run a match on that.
# http://example.com/foobar
sub foobar : Runmode {}
Default
The default run mode if no match is found. Essentially the
equivalent of the start_mode() method.
sub default_mode : Default {}
EXAMPLE
In CGI::Application module:
package WebApp;
use base 'CGI::Application';
use CGI::Application::Plugin::ActionDispatch;
use strict;
sub setup {
my $self = shift;
self->mode_param('test_rm');
$self->run_modes(
basic_runmode => 'basic_runmode'
);
}
# Regular runmodes should work.
sub basic_runmode {
my $self = shift
}
The product() runmode will match anything starting with "/products" in
the PATH_INFO.
# http://example.com/myapp.cgi/products/this/is/optional/and/stored/in/action_args/
sub product : Path('products/') {
my $self = shift;
my($category, $product) = $self->action_args();
}
The music() runmode will match anything starting with "/products/music"
in the PATH_INFO. The product() runmode also matches "/products/music".
However since this runmode matches closer it takes priority over
product().
# http://example.com/myapp.cgi/products/music/product/
sub music : Path('products/music/') {
my $self = shift;
my $product = $self->action_args();
...
}
This beatles() runmode will match ONLY "/product/music/beatles" or
"/product/music/beatles/". Regex takes priority over Path so the
previous runmodes which match this PATH_INFO are not run.
# http://example.com/myapp.cgi/products/music/beatles/
sub beatles : Regex('^/products/music/beatles\/?') {
my $self = shift;
...
}
SEE ALSO
CGI::Application, CGI::Application::Dispatch
AUTHOR
Jason Yates,
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
Copyright (C) 2006-2008 by Jason Yates
This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the same terms as Perl itself, either Perl version 5.8.7 or, at
your option, any later version of Perl 5 you may have available.